First Lady Melania Trump to Host Russian and Ukrainian Delegates at White House

First Lady Melania Trump is set to host officials from Russia and Ukraine at the White House on Thursday, marking the first known face-to-face meeting between the two sides at the U.S. executive residence. The gathering follows a humanitarian ceasefire that the first lady helped broker, which has held since the parties agreed to pause hostilities.

The White House said the event "represents an extraordinary moment in American history" and described the ceasefire as an "unprecedented diplomatic initiative by an American First Lady." It did not specify whether President Donald Trump or any senior officials would attend, and a White House spokesperson declined to comment further.

The meeting occurs as the Trump administration prepares to lead renewed trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi next week. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the team-level format could pave the way for leaders-level negotiations aimed at a lasting peace and security.

Earlier in the week, Ukraine awarded Melania Trump the Order of Princess Olga, 1st class, for her humanitarian contributions. The Kremlin expressed hope that the United States would continue its "peace-building efforts" after recent midterm elections, which gave Democrats control of Congress. Negotiations on the conflict’s key issues, including the status of the Donbas region, remain stalled.